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The League of Gentlemen, the hit comedy sketch show from the 1990s, is coming back for Christmas.

They’ve returned on and off through the years, after the original series ended its run in 2002; this run of the infamous sketch show commemorates the 20th anniversary of the series, which began as a radio show in 1997.

It’s set to be dark, strange and very funny too.

Here’s everything you need to know about the return of cult comedy hit The League of Gentlemen.

What is it?

The series – made up of three half hour specials – will see the strange town of Royston Vasey under threat, as boundary changes threaten to wipe the town from the map forever.

The local authorities, local paper and local police all play their part to save the place from administrative annihilation in this series that sees the return of several familiar faces.

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Who’s in it?

The series brings back each of the original four League of Gentlemen: actors and writers Mark Gatiss, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, as well as writer Jeremy Dyson.

Each of them have gone on to have successful careers, both independently and working together.

Gatiss is best known now for his contributions to Doctor Who and Sherlock, while Shearsmith and Pemberton went on to collaborate on hit shows Psychoville and Inside No. 9.

They’re going to be joined by David Morrissey (The Walking Dead), who’s set to guest star in the series.

Since then, though, he’s said instead that he thinks the town is ‘too strange’ to invoke real-life politics like that – though it’d be a surprise if there wasn’t at least one topical joke along those lines.

When’s it on? How can I watch it in the UK?

(Picture: BBC)

The three-part series will air on BBC Two across three nights: the first episode on Monday 18 December at 10pm, the next at the same time on Tuesday, and then the third and final episode at the same time on Wednesday.

Why should I watch it?

Because it reunites a comedy group who had a huge impact on the UK comedy scene – they’re often credited for the rise of sketch shows like Little Britain, and the BBC controller of comedy says they’re ‘the most original, distinct and influential writer-performers since Monty Python’ – and reintroduces their work for a whole new generation.

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Alex Moreland is a freelance writer and student based in London. You can read more of his work here.